Barbed And Sarajevo To Get 2016 Underway

Time/Date - 16.06hrs local time/Friday, January 1, 2016
Racecourse/Country - Flemington/Australia
Surface/Distance - Turf/ 1200m

The useful sprinters Barbed (pictured) and Sarajevo have the distinction of being Godolphin's first Stakes race representatives anywhere in the world for 2016 when they run in the Group 3 Standish Handicap at Flemington on Friday, January 1.

And both horses are capable of becoming the stable's first Group winners for the year.

Of the two, Barbed (John O'Shea/Ben Melham), twice a Listed winner and twice Group placed, is the better performed.

But Sarajevo (John O'Shea/Craig Williams), is a more-than-capable second string.

"Both horses are very well placed in this race," O'Shea said.

"They are both in great order and both should run very well."

If there is a concern on their trainer's mind it involves the barriers, with Barbed to jump from gate three and Sarajevo from four.

"I usually like the to draw the middle or wider in straight races at Flemington," O'Shea said.

"But both horses have very good, in-form jockeys on their backs who ride the track very well."

Barbed comes into Friday's race second up having resumed with an even performance when seventh of 16 at Randwick.

O'Shea says the five-year-old son of Canny Lad took good improvement from the run and expects him to be close to his best.

"He's won a couple of Listed races, but he's also got very good form around some of the best sprinters we've seen here in the last few years," he said.

O'Shea was referring to the placings Barbed has run behind such outstanding horses as Zoustar, Chautauqua and Deep Field.

While Barbed is yet to race down the Flemington straight track, Sarajevo's last two runs have been over Saturday's course and distance, the most recent resulting in a luckless second on December 12.

The son of Lonhro had previously been fourth, again over course and distance in a good quality Listed event during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Sarajevo's last start conqueror, Durendal opposes again and shapes as one of the hardest to beat, although the Godolphin runner meets him on better handicap terms.

Earlier on the same day in Sydney, O'Shea will saddle Godolphin's first runner for 2016 when Old North goes in the non-graded All Too Hard Plate at Randwick.